Electro-Acoustics Research Lab (EARLab)

The Electro-Acoustics Research Lab (EARLab) is dedicated to the "democracy of sound" - where all audience members experience an equally excellent listening experience. EARLab is led by Associate Professors Dr Adam Hill and Dr Bruce Wiggins. Their mission is to deliver high-quality and safe listening experiences to all through analysis and optimisation of sound reproduction and reinforcement. The lab’s work leverages our expertise in acoustics, digital signal processing, electronics, electroacoustics, psychoacoustics, and sound design. Our research encompasses three themes: 1) creative immersive audio technology 2) live event listening experiences 3) health-related aspects of sound EARLab prides itself on being at the forefront of these themes. We draw on the team's extensive experience in immersive audio (Dr Wiggins and Mark Dring), sound reinforcement (Dr Hill and Jon Burton), and signal processing (Dr Wiggins and Dr Hill). EARLab stands as one of the few research clusters worldwide with expertise in sound reinforcement. The team is instrumental in the ongoing evolution of the field, both in engineering and policy. Dr Hill and Jon Burton remain active live sound engineers, providing valuable insights from the field. The lab’s ambisonics (full-sphere surround-sound format) work, driven by Dr Wiggins for over 20 years, offers content creators free tools for immersive sound implementation. As a trusted advisor to tech giants, Dr Wiggins plays a crucial role in shaping immersive audio experiences on popular platforms. The lab's work provided impact case studies for the University's Research Excellence Framework submissions in 2014 and 2021.